It’s programme perusal time! All of our 2018 events are now available online!

Roll up book lovers and prepare your teeming bookshelves, for I bear great news – all our events for the 2018 Felixstowe Book Festival are now available on our website for your delight, delectation and inevitable perusal. And to make matters even sweeter, all our tickets are now on sale! You can buy via the website, telephone the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, or from 24 April purchase your tickets every Tuesday morning at the library in Felixstowe.

So what are you waiting for? If crime is your bag, then why not spend an hour with Iain Maitland and Humphrey Hawksley who, whilst sharing a genre, depict starkly contrasting situations: family saga versus global catastrophe. If your fiction needs stretch further, why not come along to an audience with Sally Vickers, who will be joining us to discuss her latest novel ‘The Librarian’. Catch author Nikesh Shukla as he heads to the festival to talk to us about his new family saga, ‘The One Who Wrote Destiny’, a tale of generations, family feuds and reconciliations. If you are in the mood for an explosive and timely thriller, join Mandy Morton as she chats with Sir Vince Cable about his new novel ‘Open Arms’. Check out the rest of our programme for a treasure trove of our other fiction sessions.

For the poetry lovers amongst you, look no further than Martin Newell and the Hosepipe Band who were met with such enthusiasm by last year’s festival attendees. Combining folklore with his own unique poetry style, Martin and the band of merry musicians will make the hours fly as they delight us with their lyrical and musical talent. For those of us who aren’t feeling quite that energetic, why not join local poets Alexandra Davis and Emily Hasler, as they discuss the link between their own poetry and the idea of home.

Here at the Felixstowe Book Festival, we are awash with exciting talks and activities. Along with a varied fiction programme, we have an expansive range of non fiction events. On the 30th of June, Jenni Murray will be chatting about her fascinating new book ‘A History of Britain in 21 Women’. On the very same day, renowned art historian Martin Kemp will divulge his views on Leonardo da Vinci and his infamous painting ‘The Mona Lisa’, detailed in Martin’s upcoming book ‘Mona Lisa: The People and the Painting’. If your tastes are more cinematic, then why not book tickets to see the Suffolk smash hit ‘Life on the Deben’, showing at 2pm and 6pm on June the 28th at the Felixstowe Library.

Rest assured there are plenty of fun and frolics to be had by our younger guests too. We are welcoming back Arty Mouse for some fun filled craft sessions with the little ones at Felixstowe Library. Author of the ‘Horrible Science’ series Nick Arnold has a treat in store for us. He presents ‘My Horrible Science Life’, a family show inspired by his life and loaded with scintillating science experiments, grisly poetry and many, many laughs. Calling all budding authors (and the parents of budding authors!) – why not join Emily Rowe and Jeni Smith at our ‘Making Books’ workshop – the clue is in the title, as Jeni and Emily will show us how to make beautiful paper and sewn books, as well as providing plenty of ideas about what to fill them with. Have a perusal of the rest of our programme online to see the innumerable activities available to inspire our younger audience members!

We are also offering a mixture of workshops, for young and old, over the festival weekend. Tom George will be leading the ‘Five Ways of Mental Wellbeing’ session, where he will lead a meditative workshop encouraging mindfulness amongst the attendees, through a variety of activities. For the more literary-minded, come along to ‘An Introduction to Storytelling’, where storyteller Elly Crichton-Stuart will divulge the basics of the craft, and give top tips. These are merely highlights of an eclectic mix of workshops designed to enhance creativity, to inspire new skills to use in everyday life, and to simply have fun!

And now for something a little different… at this year’s festival we will be hosting a number of Pop Up festival events, using unusual venues in and around Felixstowe. Join sound artist Lily Hunter as, from a shipping container, she delivers ‘Sea Change: Refugee Tales’, a powerful and creative commentary on the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Or why not drop in on the National Coastguard Institution as they tell tales of the dangers faced and rescues made by the Felixstowe Life Boat.

Well, after all that, I am quite exhausted… but rather excited! I hope you are too, and that you take time to have a butchers at our wonderful 2018 Felixstowe Book Festival programme! Let’s get booking!